Williamsburg, Virginia Getaway!

 Greater Williamsburg Getaway!!

Last week we made the decision to get away somehwere that would make it a.) easy to social distance and b.) be able to take Piper with us. After plenty or research and planning we packed up, got in the car and headed to Williamsburg, Virgina. It's a facinating place due to the rich history and tons of fun activities available. There are plenty of shops, resturants, museums, tours, not to mention all of the beautiful holiday decor that lines the streets. As you will see in the images below it was beautiful day and night. The Williamsburg Inn (as shown above) was especially lit up and stunning in the evening. We stayed at the Williamsburg Lodge, which is a cute hotel right in the center of Williamsburg and a short walk to just about everything you can think of. The room and lobby had a very comfy and cozy feel and were very clean, they also kept up with all current COVID regulations, so we felt very safe. The best part is that Piper was just as welcomed as we were, and this is very important to us because whenever we go away we take Piper with us. She is a member of our family after all. It's refreshing to see such a wonderful welcome. 

We arrived around noon on Saturday, and by the time we checked into the hotel, got settled and headed back out to start exploring, it was around 1pm. So we made our way to Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square. This was one of our over all favorite spots, there were so many great little shops, bakeries, restaurants and even a cute little skating ring. We spent hours window shopping and wandering around from shop to shop. Looking at the many beautiful items. We also enjoyed sampling all of the delicious treats we came across. One was a spot called Retro's Good Eats, they had the best orange soda and frozen custard floats. 

After sharing our delicious float we decided to check out the Williamsburg Christmas Market for live entertainment, hot chocolate and lots of cool vendors. Before we knew it the sun started going down so we looked for a fun spot to grab a drink and warm up. We found the coolest spot called The Corner Barkery. You can go in and order a beer or a bite to eat with your dog, they even have plenty of pup items you can order for your sidekick. We hung out there to have a root beer, along with a Bowser Beer and cookie for Piper. 

Then we headed back to the hotel to wind down before going to dinner, which we made reservations for around 7pm at Casa Pearl. It's a fun spot that mixes oysters and tacos, which made for a cool and interesting combo. We had the Iceberg Stack as an app, and wow it was just as delish as it was pretty. I ordered a fruity pink cocktail called the "Pinkity Drinkity", along with some fried chicken tacos for my entree. Rob ordered mahi-mahi fish tacos. Finally, to finish off the meal, we ordered the key lime and tiramisu desserts. Everything was right on the mark and the resturant itself has a really chill vibe. 

After dinner we headed back to the room for the night to get some rest. The next morning we had plans to visit Historic Yorktown and The Christmas Market on Main. The weather called for a sunny day, so I was looking forward to exploring more of Williamsburg. We www able to check out the Watermen's Museum, Riverwalk Landing shopping and eateries, Yorktown Beach and Cornwallis Cave located just next to the Archer Cottage. It was really interesting reading the plaques of information. These particular locations have history that dates all the way back to before the revolution. It's amazing to think what those walls or beaches have seen in their time. Piper and I really enjoyed the boardwalk and pier along the beach on Water Street. 

We stopped into Yorktown Pub for lunch. They have a great seafood and drink selection. Rob and I are not big early morning eaters, so we just decided to skip breakfast, then wait and eat an early lunch. So, by the time we arrived, both of us were more than hungry. We ordered a little bit of everything, along with two of thier beautiful cocktails, which looked fabulous backed by the sun and sand. Foodwise we got some raw oysters, steamed shrimp, nachos, a burger, and some crab soup. 

Everything on the table was amazing and fresh as can be, plus it was nice to see the beach and the water while we were eating. Such a great vibe!! After eating until our hearts were content (...or stomachs, shall I say...lol!!) We made our way to one of my faves, Ben & Jerry's, for a couple scoops of icecream. Rob and I shared two scoops of strawberry icecream topped with peppermint dust, all piled high in a 

chocolate-dipped waffle cone, garnished with more peppermint dust. One of my holiday favorites is peppermint in and on everything, especially hot chocolate and ice cream. 

Needless to say we made that icecream disappear pretty quickly, and then we were back off to the hotel to wind down for a bit. We had plans at 5pm to go to the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Celebration, which I'll admit I was pretty psyched about. If you've never been for this particular event, I definitely recommend it. The whole park is lit up and absolutely gorgeous. The park is set up to feature different countries., and we saw England, Scottland, France and Germany. Germany was definitely my favorite, as I really enjoyed the decorations and fun details. I also think it's because I'm a bit partial as I was born in Germany..lol! While in there we stopped into Festhaus to grab some dinner. Rob and I both had a salad, along with a sliced turkey and gravy entree, which came with mixed veggies and mashed potatoes. Once we finished eating we started looking for something sweet. So we stopped into Three River Inn, located in the New France section, for Gingerbread Spiced Funnel cakes. Oh my goodness talk about amazing. They were soft, warm, and delicious, plus I'm a huge fan of gingerbread. 

Once we finished our funnel cakes we proceeded through the rest of the park by getting on the train. It's a great way to go from section to section since the park is a good distance from end to end. After exploring, eating, and having fun, we left the park and headed back to the hotel for a very good night's sleep. I have to say the beds at the hotel were super comfy. The next morning we headed out to Billsburg Brewery to get a drink and order some food from The Hungry Pug Food Truck, located right there at the brewery. I was excited to order the pink beer, a Cherry Raspberry Berliner. The cherry and raspberry gives it the beautiful color. It was delish with the Ruben sandwich and soft pretzels with beer cheese, which happens to be one of my absolute faves. 

We hung out and at the brewery for a couple hours, then headed to Williamsburg General Store to check out a great little ice cream spot called Bubba's Ice Cream Shop. They have all kinds of shakes and sundaes; I ordered the Dulce De Leche sundae, and WOW! Every bite tasted just an Dulce Leche cake. There was also caramel and fresh banana on top, and I can tell you that Rob and I ate the entire thing. I definitely need to get that recipe, because it was that good. 

After ice-cream at Bubba's we went to Williamsburg Premium Outlets to check out the shopping scene. There were so many great stores to choose from, not to mention the amazing prices. I also thought it would be a good time to pick up a couple holiday gifts for friends and family. I got a couple sweaters from Express and some workout gear (hoodie and matching leggings) from Reebok. I got everything at 50% off so you know I was happy as can be. I saved so much money on gifts for my parents and friends. 

That night, we had dinner at Berret's Seafood Resturant full of fresh fruit and cheeses. For entrees, I ordered the mushroom risotto and Rob got the salmon. Both were amazing, especially with the cocktails that our waitress recommended. She was very and nice and answered all of our questions. There's nothing better than helpful staff when it's your first time to a particular place. Barret's Seafood Resturant will forever be my first choice when visiting Williamsburg. Did I mention they also have amazing desserts? You guys know I'm a sucker for sweets and cakes, so I ordered the ice-cream, caramel topped, bread pudding for us to split. Usually, I'll get my own but we had been eating all day so splitting one seemed like the smarter choice, plus their helpings are massive as you can see in the image below

After sufficiently stuffing ourselves we headed back to the hotel for our last night in Williamsburg. First thing in the morning we spend a couple hours at Historic Jamestown. It's the first permanent English Settlement in the United States. There are so many things too see, including the beautiful shorelines and an award-winning archelogical dig museum. Their many exhibits are full of the neatest items that have been found all over the island. I feel like three days wasn't enough time to see everything, I'm definitely making a trip back to Williamsburg. We genuinely had a great time and can't wait to return!!

Also if you ever want to see unposted or unseen footage of all these amazing treats or trips just follow me on my Instagram or Pinterest at @DanaStargazerTruitt, both platforms have their own unique content.

To check out the last Ice Cream Tour just click here-> "First Annual Ice Cream Tour"